Co-host Kelly Osborne also quit the show, and E! pulled the plug on March 17, saying it was going on hiatus until September in order to "refresh" its format.

Speaking to interviewer Hoda Kotb, Rivers said Griffin was trying to cover her own butt — and dumped on her late mom in the process.

"I understand what you're doing. You're trying to save yourself, but don't crap all over my mother to do it," Rivers, 47, said.

She added later, "'Fashion Police' was this little jewel, and it was the last piece I had of my mother and I working together. And I felt like all these people were so out of control — including the one who made the allegations of racism — they took the last thing I had and smashed it."

"And I felt like I was Humpty Dumpty … on my knees glueing it back together, or trying to at least find the pieces."

Despite the drama, Rivers said the show would return to air, and that she and her producers were in the process of hammering out a new direction.

Rivers said Griffin "s--- on my mother's legacy" when she released a statement dumping on the show after her departure. (Chelsea Lauren)

"What do you think [Joan] is thinking looking down at the shards?" Kotb asked.

"I think there might be a little bit of a twinkle in her eye, saying 'You all couldn't do it without me, could you?" Rivers said.